Red Wings 2024 Draft Guide: Top 50 Targets, Trades & More

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The Detroit Red Wings have been diligently preparing for the 2024 NHL Draft over the past several months. And on Friday, Steve Yzerman, Kris Draper, and the team’s scouting staff will have another chance to strengthen the organization’s prospect pipeline.

Detroit enters the 2024 draft with eight picks, including:

  • No. 15
  • No. 47
  • No. 80
  • No. 126
  • No. 144
  • No. 176
  • No. 203
  • No. 208

There are two main themes for this year’s draft. First, the Red Wings have the opportunity to swing for upside. They’re well-stocked with two-way, responsible players and are positioned to choose dynamic players who need coaching to refine other areas of their game.

The second ties to this a bit – with a flush prospect pipeline, there’s also the opportunity to consolidate picks and move up in the draft. This can be in the first round or later rounds. The Red Wings don’t need all eight picks in their disposal; consolidating selections and trading up should be strongly considered.

Path to Detroit’s No. 15 Pick

Before we get to Detroit’s first selection, it’s worth examining how the first 14 picks could play out. Surely, several coveted prospects will have been chosen by the time Yzerman steps to the podium.

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Consider the list below to be a bit of intelligence gathering. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had countless conversations with analysts who know their respective NHL teams inside and out. I’ve checked in on team needs, draft strategy, and preferred picks. Based on those conversations, here is what I’m expecting for the first 14 selections:

  1. San Jose – C Macklin Celebrini
  2. Chicago – RW/C Ivan Demidov
  3. Anaheim – RD Artyom Levshunov
  4. Columbus – LD Anton Silayev
  5. Montreal – C Cayden Lindstrom
  6. Utah – LD Zeev Buium
  7. Ottawa – RD Zayne Parekh
  8. Seattle – LD Sam Dickinson
  9. Calgary – LW/C Tij Iginla
  10. New Jersey – RW Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
  11. Buffalo – C Berkly Catton
  12. Philadelphia – C Konsta Helenius
  13. Minnesota – RD Carter Yakemchuk
  14. San Jose – LW Cole Eiserman

Related: THW’s Free 2024 NHL Draft Guide

It’s entirely possible—and likely—that the draft turns out differently than this. That said, these 14 picks serve as a good baseline for what the Red Wings can expect in the lead up to No. 15.

Red Wings’ Draft Board: Top 50 Targets

Instead of focusing on each of Detroit’s draft picks, we’re going to do something a little differently this year. We’ve created a draft board – 50 prospects who would be great organizational fits.

These are not the 50 best prospects. Rather, these players are the 50 best fits relative to Detroit’s draft slots. 

Steve Yzerman Detroit Red Wings
Steve Yzerman has shown a propensity to draft for organizational fit, even if consensus rankings have other players higher. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

It’s the product of research, tracking, live viewings, and tape analysis, plus several conversations between Devin Little, Logan Horn, Evan Sabourin, and I. Ultimately, the goal was to put together a realistic draft board for the Red Wings.

How does this work? When a player is drafted, cross them off the list. And when it’s Detroit’s turn to make a selection, the top player remaining on the list represents the ideal choice.

The cream of the crop—i.e. Macklin Celebrini, Ivan Demidov, Artyom Levshunov, etc.—are not included since they’re well outside of Detroit’s range. Others who will likely be chosen in the 10-14 draft slots are, though. Strange things can happen at the draft – it’s possible certain players fall way past their expected draft slot and are available for the Red Wings to pick.

With that being said, here’s Detroit’s draft board courtesy of The Hockey Writers’ Red Wings coverage team:

  1. C Berkly Catton – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
  2. LW/C Tij Iginla – Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
  3. C/RW Konsta Helenius – Jukurit (SM-Liiga)
  4. RW Beckett Sennecke – Oshawa Generals (OHL)
  5. RW Michael Brandsegg-Nygard – Mora IK (Allsvenskan)
  6. C Michael Hage – Chicago Steel (USHL) 
  7. LD Stian Solberg – Vålerenga (Norway)
  8. LW Cole Eiserman – U.S. NTDP
  9. C Jett Luchanko – Guelph Storm (OHL)
  10. LW Igor Chernyshov – Dynamo Moscow (KHL)
  11. C Yegor Surin – Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
  12. C Sacha Boisvert – Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
  13. C Cole Beaudoin – Barrie Colts (OHL)
  14. LD Alfons Freij – Växjo (J20 Nationell)
  15. LW Teddy Stiga – U.S. NTDP
  16. LW/C John Mustard – Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
  17. RD EJ Emery – U.S. NTDP
  18. RD Dominik Badinka – Malmö (J20 Nationell)
  19. LD Leo Sahlin Wallenius – Växjo (J20 Nationell)
  20. RW/C Sam O’Reilly – London Knights (OHL)
  21. LW Tanner Howe – Regina Pats (WHL)
  22. RW Terik Parascak – Prince George Cougars (WHL)
  23. LW Marek Vanacker – Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
  24. LD Lukas Fischer – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
  25. RD Adam Kleber – Lincoln Stars (USHL)
  26. RW Nikita Artamonov – Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
  27. LD Cole Hutson – U.S. NTDP
  28. RD Ben Danford – Oshawa Generals (OHL)
  29. C Lucas Pettersson – MoDo (J20 Nationell)
  30. C AJ Spellacy – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
  31. C Luke Misa – Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
  32. C/RW Alexander Zetterberg – Örebro HK (J20 Nationell)
  33. C Ethan Procyszyn – North Bay Battalion (OHL)
  34. RW Carson Wetsch – Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
  35. LD Daniil Ustinkov – Zurich (NL) 
  36. RW Kaden Pitre – Flint Firebirds (OHL)
  37. C Petr Sikora – HC Ocelari Trinec (Czechia)
  38. LD Darels Uljanskis – AIK (J20 Nationell)
  39. LW Veit Oswald – EHC München (DEL)
  40. C Owen Allard – Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
  41. RW Kasper Pikkarainen – TPS (J20 SM-sarja)
  42. C Aidan Park – Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS)
  43. G Marcus Gidlöf – Leksands (J20 Nationell)
  44. LD Paul Mayer – Adler Mannheim (DEL)
  45. RD Jack Bodin – Örebro HK (J20 Nationell)
  46. RW Herman Traff – HV71 (SHL)
  47. LD Frankie Marrelli – Ottawa 67’s (OHL) 
  48. RD Adam Kral – Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia U20)
  49. LW Viktor Olofsson – HV71 (SHL)
  50. C/LW Clemens Sager – Eisbären Berlin (DNL U20)

Red Wings’ First Round Trade Options

As a supplement to the draft board, we’ve included fair deals should the Red Wings decide to trade up or back using PuckPedia’s Perri Pick Value Calculator. Based on Yzerman’s pre-draft availability, it sounds like this is a distinct possibility.

Trading Up from No. 15

Trade Partner Detroit’s Cost Detroit’s Return
Ottawa Senators No. 15, No. 47 & Jonatan Berggren No. 7
New Jersey Devils No. 15, No. 47 & No. 80 No. 10
Philadelphia Flyers No. 15 & No. 47 No. 12

Trading Back from No. 15

Trade Partner Detroit Trades Detroit’s Return
Washington Capitals No. 15 No. 17, No. 82 & No. 146
Chicago Blackhawks No. 15 & No. 126 No. 18 & No. 50
Los Angeles Kings No. 15 No. 22, No. 54 & No. 58

Additional Red Wings Draft Coverage

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